Spray treating apparatus



March 1, 1938 J. A. PAASCHE 2,110,052

' SPRAY TREATING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 us I . r" k Jen s A.Paasoke M W, y keumx March :1, 1938. J, A, PAASCHE 2,110,052

SPRAY TREATING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I29 I :i I A 8/ 32 20 fl I 95 I I I I H50 87 9 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\1 52 6'2 55 1 4 I25 58 4: 69 T 55 a5 fizz/6222 07 JnSA.Paaso7ze BY 38 1 45 45 "Q 6 W) 614% W W March 1,1938. J. A. PAASCHE SPRAY TREATING APPARATUS 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 8 I 4 444llllllllllfllllllllllll (Jens APaczsa/1e March 1, 1938. I J, PAASCHE 2,110,052

SPRAY TREAT ING APPARATUS Filed June 8, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jm A.Pc2:asc 7ze BY A fi er/2 s.

50 plied upon the surface to be treated in the form Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a portable form 50 Patented l,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- ......Z'.Il 'Z'JIZT'ZZJZZZET 38 Claims. (CL 91-45) The invention relates to improvements in ap- Another object resides in the provision of the paratus for applying invisible, mist-fine particles improvements in construction and the novel reor a coating, film or the like to an object to be lationships of parts by which the foregoing and treated and particularly to an object moving other objectsand advantages of the invention through a treating zone as, for example, in the may be carried into practice easily and eifec- 5 provision of a protective layer of particles on a tually at low cost. printed sheet for the prevention of ink offset. Other objects and advantages will become ap- One of the general objects of the invention is parent from the following description taken in to provide new and improved air treating or air connection with the accompanying drawings, in

misting apparatus of increased efliciency and which: 10

wide adaptability which is particularly suitable Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly in secto be installed-in association with a printing mation, showing one form of apparatus embodying chine organization in such a location as to afford the features of the invention.

a treating zone through which a freshly printed Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevational view,

sheet must travel as it is delivered from the press. partly in section, looking toward the right of the 7 Another object is to provide apparatus of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

foregoing character embodying novel spray-con- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view trolling means which is automatically operable of the exhaust mechanism. by'physical contact with the object undergoing; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic isometric view of a treatment, such as a printed sheet traveling printing press installation embodying the pres- 20 through the treating zone. ent invention.

Another object is to provide a novel apparatus Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through including mist creating means which may be efone of the mist forming treating devices, taken fectually located opposite the moving surface to substantially alongthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

be treated and which is easily and quickly ad- Fig. 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, 25 justable from a convenient remote positiontdurof the treating devices, looking toward the right ing continuous operation of the apparatus to in Fig. 5. control the character of the treatment delivered Fig. 7 is a fragmental sectional view taken subto the surface. stantially along the line 'I-l of Fig. 5.

Another object resides in the provision of new Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional elevation 30 and improved apparatus for air treating a surthrough the head end of the supporting means face in movement relative thereto, and which in-. for the treating devices. cludes novel adjustable cantilever type support- Fig. 9 is an end elevational view looking toward ing structure for the treating means. As a feathe right in Fig. 8.

ture of this supporting structure, novel means is Fig. 10 is a fragmental sectional view taken 35 provided for delivering the treating material and substantially along the plane of line ill-l0 of air to the treating means. Fig. 9.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this Fig. 11 is a fragmental sectional view taken character which is especially simple and consubstantially along the plane of line ll-ll of venient to install and which embodies features Fig. 5. 40 of convertibility adapting the same for use as a Figs. 12 and 13 are diagrammatic views illuscomplete portable unit, or which may be statrating the mist creating operation of the treattio'narily connected with the conveyer mechanism ing devices. I

upon which the objects to be treated are trans- Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional elevation ported through the treating zone of the apthrough a part of the electrical control meohaparatus. nism of the apparatus.

Another object is to provide apparatus by Fig. 15 is an enlarged sectional view of the conwhich finely dividedparticles of material and a tacter switch taken substantially along line separable carrying medium may be openly aplS-IS of Fig. 14.

of a fine mist, and which includes as a feature of apparatus. with certain features shown thereof means to facilitate removal of the carrydiagrammatically.

ing medium from the mist stream and thereafter While the invention is susceptible of various complete removal of the carrying medium from modifications and alternative constructions, I

5 the treating zone. have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring to'the drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes one or more pneumatically operated air treating devices such as the so-called air 'guns 20 which are arranged to direct spray of mist-like character therefrom toward a flat surface to be treated. For example, the air guns may be associated with any desired type of printing press 2| (Fig. 4) to apply onset-preventing material upon the freshly printed surface of sheets 22 as deliver from the press and before the sheets are stacked as at 23 or pass through a subsequent printing operation. In a continuous web printing installation, the air guns are located between the press and the usual rewinding mechanism, or between successive rotary color printing stations. The term sheet is therefore used herein in a generic sense to mean either an individual sheet or a continuous web.

Support for the air guns 20 is provided by improved cantilever type supporting structure,

indicated generally at 24, which has associated therewith air and fluid conditioning means 25 and correlated operation controlling mechanism 21. Relative movement between the guns and the sheet in order to bring all parts of the printed surface of the latter within a treating zone defined by the effective range of the air guns may be effected by a conveyer 28 which is preferably equipped with carrying cords 29 and holding cords 30 between which the sheet is advanced in a given path of travel. A circulation of air may be effected through the treating zone and the unused constituents of the mist stream may be withdrawn from the treating zone by an exhauster assembly 3|.

The air guns 2!] are preferably of the pneumatically actuated type particularly adapted for emcient performance under conditions of rapid intermittent operatiomand embodying features particularly described in my copending application Serial No. 551,137, filed July 16, 1931, now Patent No. 2,059,706, issued November 3, 1936. Since the guns are preferably identical in detail, a description of one will suffice for the other.

Referring to Fig. 5, the gun 20 is shown as comprising a cylindrical, tubular barrel 32 which has a chamber 33 closed at its rear end by a threadedly secured cover 34. Projecting forwardly from the chamber 33 is a chambered portion 35 of reduced diameter which has threadedly attached to the front end thereof an air misting head 31 carrying a suitable removable misting nozzle assembly 38. Material to be applied and pressure fluid are delivered to the nozzle assembly from suitable sources in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

The misting nozzle assembly includes a conventional tapering tip 39 and an air cap 40 which interfit to provide concentric material and pressure fluid ports 4| and 42, respectively, adapted to project a column A of material and pressure fluid (Figs. 12 and 13). of streams of pressure fluid thereagainst, the column A is spread fan-wise into a long, narrow mist-spray band B. Thus, a plurality of divergent jets or streams of pressure fluid C, D and E are created on opposite sides of the axis of the By directing two opposed series column A to strike the same substantially tangentially and progressively longitudinally. For this purpose the air cap is provided with a pair of divergent horns 43 each of which is "chambered and has appropriate jet-producing ports 44, 45 and 46. Although this is an improved feature which is utilized herein for the sake of economy and efliciency it forms no part of the present invention.

Pressure fluid such as compressed air for operating the gun 20 is delivered into the barrel 32 through an inlet nipple 48 and a port 49 near the front end of the chamber 33; and as a predetermined pressure is developed in the chamber, a piston assembly therein is forced backwardly against the tension of a spring 5| to carry a valve 52 out of sealing engagement with a valve seat 53 which defines the entrance into the reduced portion 35 of the barrel. From' the reduced portion the air passes into an angular duct 54 in the rear end of the head 31 and thence into one end of a chamber 55. In the present instance, the latter chamber is formed axially in an elongated boss 51 which is integral with one side of the spraying head (Figs. 5, 6, and 11) and extends transversely of the axis of the barrel 32. Leakage of the air from the chamber 55 is prevented by suitable means such as a screw cap 58 closing one end of the chamber, and packing 59 closing the other end.

Means is provided for controlling travel of the air through the chamber 55, in the present instance comprising'a needle valve 60 carried upon the end of a shank 6|. The latter passes into the chamber through the packing 59, and the valve 60 is adapted for sealing engagement with a valve seat 62 which is provided by an apertured transverse wall 63- intermediately dividing the chamber. From the chamber, the air passes through a port 64 into a passage 65 which is formed ecc'entrically within the spraying head 31 to communicate-with the nozzle assembly 38.

As the piston assembly 50 is moved rearwardly by the air pressure in the forward end of the chamber 33, a boss 61 on.the rear end of the assembly coacts with an annular abutment 68 which is mounted upon the rear end of an axially disposed, slidable valve stem 69, thus carrying the abutment and the stem backwardly against the pressure of a spring. 10. The latter is tensioned'by means shown herein as comprising an axially adjustable plunger 1| which is slidably mounted in a chambered boss 12 formed axially on the cover 34. The forward part of the valve stem 69 passes axially through the head 31 and through one leg of an angular material passage 13 therein, and a needle valve 14 on the forward end of the stem controls the flow of spray material from the port 4| in the spray nozzle.

Lubricant such as oil for maintaining the movable parts within the gun in free working condition is supplied automatically during the operation of the gun by delivery into the air stream flowing through the nipple 48. To this end an oil receptacle 15 is supported in suitable fashion to communicate through an injector nozzle 11 with the passage in the nipple. Air pressure to cause oil to be forced from the receptacle into whenever the gun is in operation thereby eliminating the necessity for disassembling the gun to lubricate the same, the moving parts will always be uniformly and-adequately lubricated by a fine film of oil and prevented from gumming or sticking, and no excess oil will at any time be present to interfere with the proper function of the spray material. I

According to the present invention the supporting mechanism 24 for the all guns is of new and improved construction afiording a number of important advantages, as will be apparent. Each air gun 28 maybe supported separately by an arm 88 (Figs. 1, 8, and 16) of appropriate length and in the present instance arranged to conduct the air and the material to be applied therethrough to the gun. thereby materially reducing the amount of flexible conduit which has customarily been used for this purpose. Herein each arm 88 comprises a pair of concentrically arranged tubes 8I and 82 of substantially different diameters and serving, respectively, to conduct air and material to be applied to the air gun. The ends of the tubes nearest the air gun are maintained in fixed coaxial relation by a spacer 83; and a connection between the endsof the tubes and air gun is effected through a distributor coupling assembly, indicated generally by the numeral 84 (Fig. 7).

In accordance with the invention, the coupling assembly 84 serves also as a supporting bracket for the air gun 28, which in the preferred form is disposed eccentrically of the axis of. the carrying arm 80. While the details of the coupling assembly may be varied considerably, a desirable construction comprises a fitting 85 having a large chamber 81 into which is threaded a plug 88. Theinner end of the plug is disposed in spaced j relation to the inner wall of the chamber 81 and has an axial passage 89 arranged to communicute with the spray material tube 82. Spaced from the inner end of the plug 'is an annular channel 98 into which opens an annular series of small passages 9| extending parallel and in spaced relation to the axial passage 89 and constituting a means of communication between the tube BI and the channel. The outer end of the plug 88 extends beyond the side of the "tting and has a flange or rim 92 which is engaged by a gland 93 that threadedly connects the air and material delivery tubes to the coupling assembly. A gasket 94 between the end of the material tube 82 and the plug assures a tight joint,.and an annular recess 95 in'the end of the plug coincident with the series of passages 9I assuresa free flow of air thereinto from the tube 8|.

Connection between the coupling 84 and the air gun is effected bywmeans for separately conducting air and spray material to the latter. This means comprises in one part a fixedly secured air delivery nipple 91 which extends radially from the fitting 85 and communicates with theair channel 98 through a port 98. At its outer end the delivery nipple is secured as by means of a. gland 99, to the air inlet nipple 48 cf thegun. In another part the connecting means comprises a. delivery duct I88 which in le present instance is U-shaped and at one end is secured fixedly into the fitting 85 on a radius angular to the axis of the delivery nipple. Communication between the delivery duct and the material chamber 81 is afforded by a port I82. The free end of the duct is secured to a separable strainer union member I83, and a gland I84 connects the latter to a material inlet nipple I85 which projects from the side of the spray head 31 and communicates with the angular material duct I3. Thus, the air gun is easily and quickly secured in position and may be removed speedily should the occasion demand.

The arms 88 are supported in cantilever fashion inan improved manner permitting all variety of adjustment necessary to position the air guns most efliciently with respect to the surface to be treated. In order to permit axial and rotary adjustment of the arms, the rear portions thereof are carried in tubular guides 181 which are discontinuously split longitudinally near one end and have clamping ears I88 which are joined by tightening screws I89 (Figs. 1, 8 and 9). Support for the guides is provided by a tubular head 8 which is shown herein as severed along one side to provide opposed semi-cylindrical portions engaging a drum III having axially alined pairs of apertures II2 that provide eccentric sockets through which the guides I81 extend in spaced parallel relation. Means such as set screws H3 fixedly secure the guides in the drum, and any rotary adjusted position of the drum may be maintained by clamping the portions of the head II8 tightly together. This may be effected through the medium of a tightening screw II4 which connects opposed clamping ears H5 extending from the head.

The head is mounted upon an annular upright standard II! which is shown in Figs. 1, 8, and 9 as being telescopically associated with an upright tubular standard supporting section H8, herein secured fixedly by suitable clamping means H9 to one side of the conveyer frame 28. When it is desired to work directly upon either of the air guns to adjust, clean or repair the same, the arms 88 may be swung about the axis of the upright standard assembly to move the guns to one side of the conveyer. Vertical or radial adjustment of the entire cantilever gun supporting structure may be established easily and thereafter maintained by tightening a screw I28 to draw together ears I2I on a longitudinally split portion at the upper end of the standard section whereby to lock the standard I I1 fixedly therein.

Through the foregoing arrangement of the supporting structure, either air gun may be adjusted independently as to its position transversely of the surface to be treated by axial movement of its respective supportng arm. The angle at which the mist stream from either air gun will strike the surface to be treated may be established by rotating its supporting arm to carry the gun in an arc concentric with the axis of the arm; and when the mist streams from both of the guns have been alined, the angle of the combined mist stream may be adjusted by rotating the drum III to move both air guns simultaneously. Furthermore, the air guns may be adjusted vertically or longitudinally relative to the path of movement of the surface to be treated by the simple expedient of adjusting the telescoping standard III. Proper vertical adjustment is very important because the air gun should be at a proper distance to cause the material discharged therefrom to impact the sheet at approximately the instant it attains substantially solid form. This distance, of course, is variable depending on the size of the particles produced by the gun and the speed of volatilization or evaporation. After any of the various adjustments have been made, they may be mainscrews.

supported by the transverse boss 51 Associated with the adjustable supporting structure for the air guns 24, the invention provides novel remote control means for regulating the character of the spray developed by the guns. As shown herein, the remote control regulating means is similar foreach air gun and includes a tubular spray material control shaft I22 and a concentrically arranged air control shaft I23, the ends of the shafts nearest the air gun being which projeots fromthe side of the gun (Figs. 6 and 11). The end of the boss from which the needle valve shank GI: projects may have fixedly threaded thereon a tubular extension member I24 which is externally threaded at its opposite end to receive an adjustable thimble I25 which in turn is secured rigidly to the end of the tubular shaft I22. As this shaft is rotated in either opposite direction, therefore, the thimble will be moved longitudinally and correspondingly move a collar I21 which in the present instance is formed integral therewith.

Movement of the collar is utilized to adjust the position of the spring tensioning plunger II in the rear of the air gun, the motion being transmitted through a bell crank lever I28, one end of which overlies the cap 34 on the barrel of the gun and bears against the outer end of the plung-' er. A pair of spaced parallel ears I29 and a transverse pivot pin I30 (Fig. 6) on the side of the barrel 32 pivotally support the lever intermediate its ends, and the end of the lever nearest the control shaft has a yoke I 3| which coacts with the collar I21. Thus, movement of the thimble I25 and the collar I21 away from the boss 51 will cause the bell crank lever to force the plunger II inwardly to increase the tension of the spring III while reverse movement will decrease the tension of the spring, thereby governing the range of movement of the needle valve 69 and hence the amount of spray material which will flow from the spray nozzle during operation of the gun.

Adjustment of the air supply to the spray nozzle is effected by rotary movement of the shaft I23. For this purpose the end of the shaft is fixedly threaded into the outer end of the needle valve shank BI which is provided with an enlarged externally threaded head I32.

Internal threads I33 on the extension member I24 coact with the threaded head I32; and as the control shaft I 23 is rotated the needle valve shankwill be moved axially to adjust the position of the needle valve 63, thus controlling the fiow of air through the chamber 55 within the boss 51.

Preferably, the concentric control shafts I22 and 123 extend parallel with the cantilever arms and are supported at their ends remote from the air guns by brackets I34 which are fixedly connected in the present instance to the ends of the arms near the head IIO (Figs. 9 and 10). Each bracket may comprise a flattened plate apertured near its outer end to carry a fixed bushing I 35 within which the spray material control shaft I 22 is joumaled. The air control shaft I23 projects beyond the end of the shaft I22, and a bushing I36 fixed in the end of the latter maintains the shafts in coaxial relation but permits free independent reative longitudinal and rotary movement of each shaft. Such relative movement of the shafts I22 and I23 is effected in the present instance by manipulating and a material appropriate knobs I31 and I38, respectively, which are secured rigidly thereto. Where the control shafts are fairly long, as those which are i in control of the most remotely positioned gun Preferably the discharge from the air gun should be accurately adjusted to provide a very fine mist-like spray for lightly inked sheets; a heavy, coarse mist for a heavily inked sheet; or any selected intermediate character of mist particles as may be required. Once an adjusted condition to accommodate a particular requirement in practice has been attained,such condition may be exactly duplicated according to the present invention by rotating the knobs I31 and I38 to cause pointers I40 and MI, respectively, thereon to register a predetermined setting upon a calibrated and numbered dial gauge I42. This dial may be in the form of an axially apertured disk rotatably adjustable about the bushing I35 and having a milled periphery to facilitate manipulation. Any adjusted position of the dial is maintainedby a friction washer or spring. I43 that is forced against the dial by a retaining nut I44 threaded onto the bushing.

When the apparatus is not in use the air guns should be conditioned against accidental operation by closing the needle air, valve 60 and by maintaining the material control needle valve I4 closed, which is effected by turning the control shafts I22 and I23 to one limit of rotation, herein the extreme clockwise limit. If in this position of the shafts the knobs thereon are adjusted to bring the respective pointers to a common position, as shown in broken outline in Fig. 9, and the dial I42 is adjusted to register zero, then any predetermined mist creating condition may be secured quickly upon resumption of operation by rotating the shafts counterclockwise until the pointers indicate a predetermined setting.

Compressed air and treating material may be conducted in any suitable manner to the supporting arm tubes BI and 82, respectively. Herein the ends of each pair of tubes nearest the bead IIII carry a distributor coupling I45 (Fig. 8) which may be in general similar to the coupling 84 and to which are connected nipples I41 and I48 to receive, respectively, an air conduit I49 conduit I50. These conduits are connected in the usual manner to the conditioning mechanism 25 which preferably embodies a combination of an oil and water separator I52, presadaptability of the apparatus, the invention contemplates a novel organization by which the cantilever gun supporting structure 24, the conditioning mechanism 25, and the material supply tank I51 may all be combined to form a compact, portable unit. Herein this end is attained by mounting upon the upper end of the separator I52 a'rigid tubular supporting standard section I59, of similar form as the standard section II8, to receive the standard II1 of the cantilever supporting assembly. The separator, in turn, is supported by the material supply tank I51 the heavy construction of which is well suited to serve as the base for the apparatus. Proper be mounted upon a frame balance of the apparatus is secured by the axial arrangement of the standard, the separator and the tank, and the weight of the tank affords adequate counterbalance for the overhanging portions of the cantilever supporting structure.

Novelmeans is provided for mdunting the separator upon the supply tank in such manner as to permit free access to the top of the tank. As best seen in Fig. 16, an inverted U-shaped standard or bracket I60 may be secured astride the top of the tank, and the separator may be mounted on the yoke I6I of the bracket. This arrangement permits the tank'to be filled with spray material through a central opening closed by. a cap I62, which may be locked in tight sealing relation by an eccentric locking shaft I63 journaled in the arms of the bracket. To increase the portability of the device the tank may I64 equipped with casters I65 which may be locked in fixed position by screws I66 to maintain the apparatus stationary during operation.

Novel means is provided by the present invention for correlating operation of the pneumatic guns 20 with the movement of a sheet 22 through the treating zone defined by the spray range of the guns. Accordingly, the operation-controlling mechanism 21 comprises a normally open electric switch I61 (Figs. 14 and 15), which may be connected by an electrical conduit I68 and an ordinary connecting plug I69 in a circuit with a solenoid I10 of any preferred type. The latter operates a normally closed air valve I12 which controls the delivery of compressed air for the air guns through the conduits I49. Electric current for activating the circuit is delivered from a suitable source by a power lead I13 and is controllable by a suitable master switch having a conveniently disposed manually operable control lever I14. The circuit arrangement is such that when the switch I61 is open the apparatus is inoperative. Upon closing the circuit by the switch, the solenoid operates to open the valve, and compressed air issues to the air guns for operating the same.

In a preferred construction the switch I61 is housed within a box comprising opposed, flat side walls I11, herein disk-shaped and maintained in fixed spaced relation by an annular wall or spacing ring I18; Positioning lugs I19 on the side walls engage the annular wall and a screw I80 maintains the assembled relationship of the parts. The switch itself includes a pair of spaced terminals I82 and I83 secured to one of the side walls I11 and to which are secured the ends of electrical circuit wires I84 and I85, respectively, to provide the connection with the cable I68. Communication between the terminals to close the switchis effected by a flexible contact lever I81 which at one end is fixedly secured to one of the terminals herein terminal I82 and at its other end carries a contact point I88 that is arranged to engage an opposing contact point I89 carried by the terminal I83.

To operate the switch I61 improved means is provided which is biased to maintain the switch normally open and which is sensitively arranged to respond to pressure imparted by the sheet to be treated to permit closing of the switch. To this end a lever arm I90, which is preferably of fiat metal and which I prefer to denominate a feather contactor", is connected as by a screwattached clamping yoke I9I' to one end of a stub shaft I92. The latter is journaled intermediate its ends in one of the side walls I11 and is axially bored at its inner end to receive a stationary post I93 which is secured to the opposite side wall I11 and has a fine coil spring I94 thereabout. One end of the spring is in engagement with the stub shaft while its other end engages a fixed pin I95, and the relationship is such that the spring normally urges the stub shaft and the feather contactor in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 15, to the position shown in broken outline. In the latter position an arm I91 which is rigid with the stub shaft carries a shifting pin I98 against the switch contact lever I81 to flex the point carrying end thereof to switch opening position. In practice, the feather contactor is disposed in the path of movement of the sheet 22 so as to be contacted and depressed thereby as the sheet is advanced by the conveyer cords 29 toward the spray treating zone, thereby moving'the flexing pin I98 out of engagement with the contact lever and closing the switch. As

soon as the trailing edge of the sheet passes the contactor, the switch will be automatically opened.

Improved means is provided for supporting the feather contactor assembly in the most advantageous location to correlate operation of the air guns with the movement of the sheets to be treated. For this purpose the switch-enclosing box is detachably connected to a universal joint assembly I99 which is coupled by an elbow joint 200 with a second universal joint assembly 20I. The latter joint assembly is connected to the end of one of a pair of telescoping tubes 202 and 203 which provide an adjustable supporting am. To support the arm in such manner as to maintain the feather contactor in the path of the moving sheets, a bracket tube 204 slidably engages the rear tube 203 of the arm and has clamping ears 205 which may be drawn together by a screw 201 to maintain the tubes in a fixed relative position, Extending laterally from the bracket tube is a supporting arm 208 which may be attached to the conveyer frame adjacent the upright parts of the spraying apparatus by means of clamps 209 (Fig. 16).

As will be apparent, therefore, the mounting of the feather contactor is of such character as to permit the device to be used in many different types of installation and any desired adjustment may easily be made. For example, the device may be moved vertically by relocating the position of the supporting arm through bodily vertical movement of the carrying bracket tube 204. Adjustment transversely of the conveyer to accommodate sheets of different widths is easily effected by lengthening or shortening the telescopic arm, and the range of this adjustment may be increased by relatively sliding the rear tube 203 and the bracket tube 204. By swinging the telescopic arm about the axis of the supporting arm 208, the feather contactor may be moved rearwardly or forwardly with respect to the path of movement of the advancing sheet to vary as may be desired the point at which the advancing sheet will depress the same. In any such position the feather contactor may be shifted about the universal Joints I N and 2M to present the flat face of the contactor to the advancing edge of the sheet to avoid any possible damage to the latter.

Possibly a slight time interval may intervene between the moment the solenoid "I is activated to open the air valve I12 and the instant when the air guns are in full operation. It may be desirable, therefore, to position the feather contactor I with respect to the advancing edge of the sheet to allow for such' interval. In this manner, the advancing edge of the sheet will enter the actual sprayzone as or just after full eihciency has been attained, thusinsuring that the entire printed surface of the sheet will receive uniform treatment. Should the conveyer be stopped while a sheet is in contact with the feather contactor, operation of the spray guns can be discontinued quickly by opening the master switch I'M.

A preferred type of treating material for use I with the present invention is a composition including a solid substance suspended or dissolved in a volatile, liquid carrying medium; and which when projected upon the newly printed surface of the sheet 22 from the spray guns 2. in the manner hereinbefore described, will provide upon said surface 'a discontinuous layer of finely divided, substantially globular particles for maintaining an adjoining sheet separated from the surface. A more detailed description of such an offset-preventing composition is contained in my copending application, Serial No. 744,155, filed September 15, 1934.

To attain the most satisfactory results in practice, the spray adjustment of the air guns 2|! and the distance of the air guns from the surface of the sheet undergoing treatment should be correlated properly with the speed of travel of the sheet undergoing treatment so that as the spray mist travels toward the sheet, the volatile constituent thereof becomes substantially vaporized and the particles of offset-preventing material will strike the printed surface in a practically dry. tacky condition. If properly conditioned, most of the particles will adhere to the surface of the sheet and become fully dry and non-tacky by the time another sheet comes into contact therewith. Vaporization of the volatile substance may be enhanced and the vapor removed by creating a flow of air through the treating zone. Such a flow of air may be created by the exhauster 2i, which also serves to withdraw from the surrounding atmosphere the spent volatile constituent and such particles of the solid constituent as may remain suspended in the atmosphere.

In the preferred form, the exhauster Si in-- cludes a stack 2l0 associated with a housing 2 which encloses the usual suction-creating fan (not. shown) and has a vent duct 2l2 leading therefrom (Fig. 1). The invention, moreover, contemplates improvements, in that part of the exhauster 3i which is associated with the conveyer, for increasing the efliciency of the apparatus in the treatment of a flat surface. Accordingly, confining members such as parallel vanes 2|3 are mounted on the conveyer 28 on opposite sides of the spray treating zone and have therebetween the means for directing the inflowing air and spray constituents to the stack 2". This means herein comprises a combination of fea- 2| 5. To this end a deflecting plate or tures including means for causing air drawn toward the treating zone by the exhauster system to be deflected through the zone, inwardly projecting biased flanges 2| 4 on the' outer edges of the vanes 2l3 being provided for the purpose. After the air flow has advanced beyond the spray range of the air guns it is drawn into a tubular inlet duct 2i5 which communicates at one end with the stack 2 I 0 and extends between the vanes 2| 3 transversely across and in spaced relation to the path of travel of the sheet 2|. Preferably the inlet duct is formed of fiat sheet metal plates providing top and back walls 2" and 2l8, a front wall 2l8 and a bottom wall 220. The back wall 2l8 may have a reinforcing flange 22l along its lower edge and the adjacent edge of the bottom wall may be spaced slightly therefrom to provide an air inlet opening to receive spent spray material than may pass beyond the front of the inlet duct. The front wall may be connected hingedly as at 222 to the edge of the top wall so. as to be movable into and out of the way position when the interior of the duct is to be cleaned. During operation the front wall is maintained stationary by suitable latches or bolts 22! engageable with the vanes 2l3. The volume of air which will be drawn into the exhauster assembly may be adjusted by a damper 224 in the stack 2| 0 to provide proper air flow conditions for different operating requirements.

In order to insure an equalized flow of air throughout the treating zone, and to secure eflicient, economical operation of the exhauster, the construction of the inlet duct has been designed to receive air thereinto in uniform volume throughout its length and to pass indrawn air into the stack 2l0 without creating back pressure at any point in the path of the air. To this end the inlet duct isof gradually increasing flow area toward the end which communicates with the stack and has an inlet opening 225 which, conversely, is narrowest at the stack end of the inlet duct where the effect of the draft into the stack is strongest. The opening, moreover, is provided along that side of the inlet duct which faces the spray-treating zone and is at such a height from the surface of the sheet as to insure the creation of an adequate circulation of air transversely through the flat spray stream in the treating zone to facilitate separation of the volatile constituent and substantially prevent escape of any sprayed material into the room.

Improved means is also provided for causing air which flows adjacent the surface of the sheet undergoing treatment to enter the inlet duct apron 221 is provided which extends along the inlet duct from the inlet opening 225 to a position close to the surface of the sheet. The apron is preferably of angular construction for purposes of rigidity and has a flange 228 along its lower edge which is close to the surface of the sheet and in proximity to the spray band target for effectually catching and directing against the apron the air which is drawn along the surface of the sheet by the suction of the exhauster. In order to permit the exhauster assembly to be standardized in construction, the apron is adjustably mounted, its upper edge in the present instance being hingedly connected to the inlet duct bottom plate 220 as at 229, and the ends of the apron may be provided with adjustment screws 230 which bear against abutment flanges 23i on the inner faces of the vanes 2| 3. To permit the return spans of the holding cords 30 to pass between the edges of the bottom plate 220 and the apron, the upper edge of the apron may be cut away at intervals as at 232. Great efficiency is attained by the arrangement of the apparatus as seen in Fig. 2 wherein the spray guns are trained to direct the flattened spray stream angularly in opposition to the direction of travel of the sheet 22, and the exhauster assembly is disposed between the spray target and the feather contactor I90. Through this arrangement 'a continuous current of air will be caused to flow across the treated surface of the sheet in opposition to its direction of travel which will accelerate drying of the offset-preventing particles before the sheet is stacked or rolled. In order to facilitate mounting the feather contactor, the exhauster assembly may have a supporting arm 233 which extends from the stack and carries a tubular receiver 234 for the attachment arm 208 of the contactor assembly.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the invention provides a new and improved spray-treating apparatus which is efflciently and compactly arranged, and which is particularly adapted for standardization in construction topermit its use in many different types of installation. In this connection it may be pointediout that the apparatus is readily convertible and adapted for fixed installation with a conveyor upon which the flat surfaced objects to be treated are moved through the treating zone of the air guns, or'it may be utilized as a portable unit which is readily transportable from one place of use to another. The improved universally adjustable cantilever supporting structure for the air guns, and the novel remote control means are of great advantage in securing the most effective results and economy in operation. 'Also of importanceare the feather contactor operation-controlling means which assures that the air guns will be operated only when a sheet to be treated is within thespraying range thereof, and the improved air circulating and exhausting means which aids in properly conditioning the spray material and by which spent constituents of the spray are promptly exhausted.

Reference is made to my copending application Serial No. 662,408, filed March 24, 1933, em-' bodying a disclosure of subject matter of invention claimed generically herein, and to my copending applications Serial No. 744,155, filed September 15, 1934; Serial No. 115,738, filed December 14, 1936; Serial No. 97,185, filed August 21, 1936, and Serial No. 127,637, filed February 25, 1937, covering features of invention disclosed herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of upright supporting means having a tubular head disposed on a horizontal axis, an annular member supported by said tubular head and having a pair of eccentrically disposed arms extending therethrough and projecting cantilever fashion substantially to one side of said head, spraying devices carried by said arms,

' and means for locking said member in any ad- J'usted position in said head.

2. In apparatus adapted for treating a newly printed sheet toprevent ink offset, the combination of a treating device, means for supporting said device in position to direct a misty spray of .material toward the surface of the sheet, a fluid tank, conditioning means supported by said tank and having a connection with a source of pressure fluid, means mounted on said conditioning means for carrying the device supporting means, and fluid conducting means connecting said conditioning means, said tank and said treating device.-

3. In combination in apparatus of the character described, a fluid tank having an apertured top through which the tank may be filled, a U- shaped support coacting at its ends with opposite sides of said top and arranged to permit convenient access to said top, a vertical standard mounted upon said support, means carried by said standard and having a spraying device thereon, and means connecting the spraying device with said tank.

4. In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination of supporting means, a spraying device supported by said last-mentioned means, and a pair of shafts extending in side-by-side relation from said device to a position remote therefrom and operable to control the spraying characteristics of said device.

5. In apparatus adapted for treating the surface of a sheet to prevent ink offset, the combination of a spraying device, means for effecting relative movement between said spraying device and the sheet, supporting means including an upright member and a laterally projecting member carrying said device, means for delivering material to be sprayed and pressure fluid to said device, means for controlling the emission of material and of pressure fluid respectively from said device, and a pair of shafts respectively coacting with the controlling means and extending in side-byside parallel relation from said device to a position near said vertically extending member, said shafts being manipulable to adjust the controlling means. Y

6. In combination in a device of the character described, a vertical standard having a supporting head on its upper part, a pair of parallel arms extending from said head, spraying devices carried by the ends of said arms, and means for adjusting each of the devices separately including control shafts extending from the devices adjacent the respective arms and into positions adjacent said head from which the shafts may be conveniently operated.

'7. A machine for applying to a surface of a newly printed sheet minute substantially solid a finely divided spray of material and directing such spray toward the sheet, and control means for the spray-creating means including an elongated oscillatable contactor adapted to be mounted to project upwardly from below the plane of the sheet for engagement by the advancing edge thereof and being responsive sensitively to coaction with or separation from the moving sheet to initiate and discontinue spray creation respectively, the position of said control means being correlated to the length and speed of movement of the sheet to permit uninterrupted passage of spray to all parts of the sheet surface.

8. In apparatus adapted for applying offsetpreventing material to a moving sheet, the combination of a conveyer for advancing the sheet in a predetermined path, a pneumatically operated spraying device directed to spray material toward the advancing sheet, means for supplying material to be sprayed to said device, means for supplying pressure fluid to said device including control mechanism having a part disposed in said predetermined path for actuating the device 'when contacted by the sheet as it moves relative to said device, and an exhauster for withdrawing spent pressure fluid and air-borne particles of material that have not adhered to the sheet during the spraying operation, said exhauster including a deflecting apron mounted across said path between said spray device and said control mechanismand having its edge near the face of the sheet adjacent to the line upon which the spray strikes the sheet so as to direct spent pressure fluid and material into the exhauster.

9. In apparatus adapted for applying offsetpreventing material to a moving sheet, the combination of a conveyer for advancing the sheet, a spraying device having means connected therewith for supplying solidifiable material to be sprayed and pressure fluid thereto, said device being mounted to direct spray toward the surface of the sheet, and suction means for creating a circulation of air across the surface of the sheet including an exhaust duct and an apron extending across the path of movement of the sheet near the line of impingement of the spray material upon the sheet for directing spent pressure fluid and unused material into the duct. a

10. In apparatus adapted for applying offsetpreventing material to a moving sheet, the combination of a conveyer for advancing the sheet, a spraying device having means connected therewith for supplying material to be sprayed and pressure fluid, said device being mounted to provide a treating zone across the path of movement of the sheet, an exhauster having spray confining members at the sides of the path of movement of the sheet, and an apron extending across said path of movement between said members and beyond the line of spray from said device, said members and said apron coacting to effect a flow of air through said treating zone to carry spent pressure fluid and unused material into the exhauster..

11. In spraying apparatus for treating the surface of a flat object such as a sheet, means for creating and directing a spray stream against the sheet, means for delivering spraying material comprising a solid substance and a volatile carrier to said first-mentioned means, and means including suction mechanism provided with an inlet duct extending transversely in closely spaced relation to the sheet and having an elongated port disposed at one side of and opening toward said spray stream for creating a circulation of air transversely crosswise through said spray stream toward said port to aid in separating the volatile carrier from the sprayed material.

12. In apparatus for spray treating the flat surface of a moving object, the combination of a spraying device arranged to direct a spray of material toward the surface of the object, an exhauster including a tubular duct mounted across the path of travel of the object and having a longitudinal opening in the side thereof nearest the spraying range of said spraying device, means for creating a suction of air through said spray and into said duct, and a deflecting apron extending from said duct along the edge of said opening and having its opposite edge arranged close to the surface being sprayed to direct air flowing along the surface of the object into said duct.

13. In apparatus for spray treating a flat surface in movement the combination of spray means equipped to direct spray across the surface, an exhauster for creating a circulation of air thereinto and across the surface and having a deflecting plate arranged across the path of movement of the surface, and means for adjusting the position of said deflecting plate with respect to the distance from said surface.

14. In apparatus of the character described, means for moving an object to be treated along a given path, spray treating means mounted to create a treating zone through which the object must pass while in movement along said path, an exhaust device stationarily mounted in such a manner adjacent to said treating zone as to create a traversing circulation of air relative thereto and crosswise of the direction of spray travel, and means carried by said exhaust device extending adjacent to said path and having a part arranged to be contacted by the object as the latter moves past a predetermined point for operat ing said spray treating means.

15. In apparatus of the character described adapted for-applying offset preventing material to the upwardly facing surface of a printed sheet in the effective range thereof, thecombination of supporting means for an air gun including a lower member, a standard supported by said member for rotary adjustment, means for holding said standard in a selected position of' rotary adjustment, a head supported at the upper end of said standard, means for adjusting the vertical position of said head, and a hollow arm carried by said head to extend into overlying relation to said sheet, an air gun carried having its discharge end extending transversely of the arm axis toward the sheet to be treated,

16. In combination in a portable treating unit adapted for applying finely divided spacer particles derived from an atomized stream of fluid material upon a freshly printed sheet in the prevenpart rotatably movable on a generally vertical axis, releasable means for holding said part in a overthe sheet to a position at one side thereof, an air gun mounted arm and having its nozzle directed toward the surface of the sheet, releasable means for maintaining the longitudinal and angular positions of adjustment of the arm and air gun, and means communicating with said air gun for delivering operative pressure fluid and material thereto.

17. In apparatus for treating printed sheets supported in a given plane in the prevention of ink offset, the combination of a plurality of spraying devices sprays of variable spread, means for supporting said devices in spaced relation to each other and in opposition to said plane, and means for adjusting said supporting means to vary the spaced relation of the sprays to secure a continuous and uniform spray pattern by the action of the com bined sprays. V 18. In apparatus of the the combination of a support, a plurality of arms of different lengths extending therefrom, indeupon the outer end of said each adjustable to produce.

character described,

pendent treating devices respectively carried by the outer ends of said arms for producing generally fan-shaped streams directed toward a common plane, said arms being relatively movable in a manner to adjust the positions of said devices substantially to aline and relatively space the streams thereof for producing a .continuous elongated pattern across said plane, and means for securing said arms in selected positions of relative adjustment.

'19. In combination in apparatus of the character described, supporting means and a laterally extending arm supported thereby, a spraying device carried by said arm in a remote and comparatively inaccessible position relative to said supporting means, said device including means for controlling the character of spray therefrom, and means carried by said arm for manipulation from a convenient position beyond the spraying range. of said device to operate said controlling means.

20. In apparatus adapted for treating the surface of a newly printed sheet to prevent ink offset, the combination of supporting means having a laterally extending arm adapted to be located in proximity to thev surface of a sheet to be treated, a spraying device carried by said arm arranged to direct a spray of offset-preventing material toward the sheet and having means connected therewith for delivering thereto pressure fluid and material to be sprayed, said deviceineluding adjustable material and pressure-fluid control mechanisms to govern the condition of the spray discharged from the device, and means connected with said mechanisms and extending from said spraying device along said arm to a position adjacent to said supporting means for convenient adjustment manipulation of said mechanisms while the device is in operation.

21. In apparatus of the character described including a pressurefluid operated device and supporting. means therefor, the combination of a discharge'nozzle on said device trained to project a finely divided stream of material against the surface of an object within the effective range thereof, means on said device adjustable to control the character of the stream from said nozzle whilethe device is in operation, remote control means connected with said adjustable means and extending from said device to a position remote therefrom for the convenience of the operator in the manipulation of said adjustable means, and supporting means for said remote control means.

22. In apparatus of the character described ineluding a pressure fluid operated device having pressure fluid and material ducts and a discharge nozzleoperatively in communication with said ducts, separate adjustable means on said device for controlling the passage of pressure fluid and material respectively to govern the character of the discharge from said nozzle, a remote control assembly including elongated concentrically related members operably connected each with one of said adjustable means for effecting the adjustment thereof, and a separately manipulable element on each of said members at an end of the assembly remote from said device for effecting the adjusting action of its member.

23. Apparatus adapted for treating the surface of aprinted sheet in order to prevent ink oflset comprising, in combination, a conveyer embodying means for advancing the sheet, a coating device disposed adjacent to said means in position to direct material upon the surface of the advancing sheet, operation-controlling means for said device including an arm supported near one of its ends at one side of the conveyer and extending transversely of the path of movement of the sheet, and an electric switch assembly carried by said arm in a position adjacent to said path of movement and including a pressure sensitive switch control member biased to maintain the switch in circuit open condition, said member being extended from said assembly into said path of movement to be contacted by the sheet for movement to switch-closing position to initiate operation of said coating device.

24. In combination in apparatus adapted to be associated with a conveyor for transporting newly printed sheets at a high rate of speed from a printing press to a stack or the like, means for creating a finely divided spray of offset preventing material and for directing such spray toward and across the path of movement of the sheets to deposit particles of said material progressively while the sheets are in movement with the conveyer, means for supporting the spray creating means at a fixed point along the path of conveyer movement to direct the spray to one predetermined area of said path of movement, and electrical control means for said spray creating means mounted at a. fixed position a predetermined distance in advance of said area including a lever balanced to be easily moved and disposed in the path of a moving sheet for engagement by the advancing edge thereof as said sheet moves toward said area, the distance between said point and said area being correlated with the speed of movement of the sheet and the speed of operative response of the spray creating means to insure operation of the latter and passage of the spray therefrom'to the plane of movement of the sheet by the time the advancing edge of the sheet has entered said treating area.

25. Apparatus for applying to the surface of newly printed sheets minute substantially solid particles derived from a fluid material to serve as a spacing medium for preventing ink offset comprising, in combination, means for creating a finely divided stream from the fluid material and directing suchstream toward a sheet, said material being characterized in that substantially solid particles will be formed during the passage of the stream thereof through'the air, and means including an exhaust duct traversing the path of movement of the sheet and opening toward said stream to effect a circulation of air through said stream and crosswise of the direction of travel thereof for expediting formation of such substantially solid particles.

26. Spray treating apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination with means for moving a surface to be sprayed along a given path, a pair of upstanding confining walls extending generally along opposite sides of said path, an exhaust duct extending between said walls adjacent to the path of travel of said surface for creating a circulation of air between said walls across said surface, and means for producing a spray of treating material directed to pass through the air moving across said surface and then to contact said surface between said walls.

27. Apparatus for preventing the offset of ink in printing operations comprising the combination of means defining a zone through which a sheet to be treated is passed, exhaust means disposed at one side of said zone and having an inlet adjacent to the path of travel of said sheet, the zone defining means and the exhaust means cooperating with a sheet in said zone to produce a flow of air across the surface of said sheet and into said exhaust means, and spray creating means for offset preventing materialcdirected to discharge a spray of such material against the surface of a sheet substantially in front of and anguiarly toward said inlet.

28. In apparatus of the character described the combination of means for supporting an article having a surface to be treated, exhaust means having an elongated inlet positioned adjacent to a surface so supported, and spray creating means supported to direct a spray of material to strike said surface in spaced relation to said inlet and at an angle which approaches said surface in the direction of said inlet.

29. In ink oflset preventing apparatus the combination of means for creating a flow of air across the surface of an article to be treated, and means for directing a stream of treating material toward a portion of the surface traversed by the fiow of air so that material which falls initially to adhere to said portion of said surface will be carried across and tend to settle on the surface area therebeyond.

30. In an apparatus for effecting treatment of freshly printed sheets to prevent ink offset, the combination of means for supporting a sheet to be treated in a given plane, means for directing a stream of finely divided offset preventing material toward only a small area of a surface of said freshly printed sheet and with an acute angle of approach with respect to said plane, and means for confining the movement of excess material substantially to a path which traverses said surface beyond said small area generally in continuation of the direction of approach of the stream to the plane.

31. In combination with a conveyer for transporting newly printed sheets rapidly from a printing press to a stack, means for creating a finely divided spray of offset-preventing material and for directing such spray toward and across the path of movement of the sheets to define a treating zone wherein all parts of the printed surfaces of the sheet will receive particles of said material progressively while the sheets are in movement with the conveyer, means for supporting the spray-creating means in a stationary location so as to direct the spray always to the same position in said path of movement, and control means disposed in a stationary operative position at a predetermined point in advance of said treating zone and having means responsive to the movement of the advancing edge of a sheet past said point into said treating zone to initiate spray creation from said spray-creating means, the spacing between said point and said treating zone being correlated with the speed of movement of the sheet and the speed of operative response of said spray creating means to insure operation of the latter and passage of the spray therefrom to the plane of movement of the sheet by the time the advancing edge of the sheet enters said treating zone, said control means being arranged to continue spray creation as long as any part of the sheet is at said point and to discontinue spray creation after the trailing edge of the sheet passes beyond said point.

32. In apparatus for practicing the process of preventing offset of wet printing ink from the freshly printed surface of a sheet to an adjoining sheet surface by pneumatically depositing upon such surface spaced finely divided spacer particles derived from a treating material comprising a. solidifiable substance carried in a volatile liquid, the combination of a conveyer for carrying the freshly printed sheet rapidly from the press, pneumatically operated means for creating a finely divided stream of the treating material arranged for location at such a distance from the printed surface of the sheet as to provide an interval between emission and reception of the stream upon said printed surface sufficient for the separation of substantially solid particles, an exhaust system, means for directing the draft of said exhaust system so that at least a part thereof will circulate through said stream in a direction crosswise of the direction of travel thereof to expedite volatilization of the liquid,

and means for adjusting the position of the spray creating means so that in passing through the circulating air the accelerated volatilization and removal of the liquid will cause the particles to strike the printed surface of the sheet in practically dry condition.

33. In combination in apparatus adapted to be associated with the delivery mechanism of a printing press by which newly printed sheets are transported at a high rate of speed from a printing press, means for creating a finely divided spray of offset preventing material directed to impinge a sheet and deposit particles of said material thereon, means for supporting the spray creating means at a fixed point relative to said mechanism to direct the spray to cover a predetermined area of the path of movement of said sheet, and control means for said spray creating means mounted at a fixed position a predetermined distance in advance of said area and disposed for actuation by the advancing edge of a sheet as said sheet moves toward said area, the distance between the fixed point at which the spray creating means is mounted and said area being correlated with the speed of movement of the sheet and the speed of operative response of the spray creating means to insure operation of the latter and passage of the spray therefrom to the plane of movement of the sheet by the time the advancing edge of the sheet has entered said treating area.

34. In apparatus for use in the art of printing to prevent offset of ink from a freshly printed sheet to another adjacent sheet by spraying at least one of the surfaces with a finely divided stream of particles derived from a' solution containing a solidifiable material and a volatile carrying liquid, the combination of means for creating and delivering such a stream toward the surface to be treated, and means for causing the stream after it impinges said surface to traverse said surface so that undeposited particles of material are carried across said surface substantially closely adjacent thereto.

35. For practicing the process of preventing offset in printing which consists in creating and directing toward a surface of a newly printed sheet a stream of particles of a fluid treating substance including a solid base material and a volatile fluid carrier to effect a deposit on said surface of substantially dry particles of base material resulting from the separation of said carrier as the stream passes to said surface, apparatus comprising the combination, with conveyer means for moving fiat sheets of newly printed matter from a press at printing press speed, of means in spaced cooperative association-with said conveyer means for creating and directing a stream of particles of such treating material toward a surface of a sheet moved relative to the stream creating means by said conveyer means, and means for withdrawing the volatilized carrier from the treating zone and at the same time expediting separation of the carrier from the base material including suction means so disposed relative to said stream creating means as to produce a draft of air generally crosswise through the stream as it passes toward a sheet and in close contact with the stream particles and thence away from said stream.

36. In control mechanism of the character described adapted for coordinating operation of a surface treating device with the entrance into the effective range thereof of a moving sheet of paper having a surface to receive treatment, the combination of electrically operable means for controlling operation of said device, an electrical energizing circuit for said means, a housing having selectively operable normally open switch means therein connected in said circuit, a pressure sensitive operator projecting from said housing to be engaged by the sheet to close said switch, and adjustable means in support of said housing arranged to locate said operator in a selective position adjacent to the path of movement of a paper sheet to be treated.

3'7. In combination in apparatus for controlling spraying means to operate in synchronism with the passage of a sheet to be treated into the effective spray range thereof, means including an arm adapted to be secured to a sheet conveyer frame, control mechanism carried by the arm to be located adjacent to the path of a sheet in movement toward said effective spray range, said control mechanism being arranged to maintain said spraying means normally inoperative and having a rotatable operating shaft disposed parallel to the surface of the sheet and at right angles to the direction of movement of the sheet, yieldable means acting upon said shaft to rotate the same in one direction, and an operating lever mounted upon said shaft and extending laterally there from to be actuated by the moving sheet for rotating said shaft in opposition to said yieldable means.

38.- In combination in apparatus for controlling operation of a sheet spraying device in correlation with the passage of a sheet into the effective range of the device, an assembly including means movable between operative and inoperative positions for controlling actuation of the spraying device, supporting means for mounting the assembly near the path of movement of a sheet to be sprayed, an operating shaft connected with the movable controlling means and mounted for limited rotary movement in opposite directions, an elongated light-weight lever extending radially therefrom to be contacted by the moving sheet, resilient means rotatably urging said shaft to hold said lever across the path of movement of the sheet and the control means in its inoperative position, said resilient means and the movable means associated therewith being so balanced that the holding force of said resilient means may be instantly overcome by the slight force resulting from the contact of the lever by the advancing edge of the sheet to oscillate the lever in the direction of movement of thesheet and move the control means to its operative position, and means for adjusting the position of said lever with respect to the. path of movement of the sheet.

JENS A. PAASCHE. 

